Starting Anew
by mandy9578
Summary: ON HIATUS. Flack trying to work up his courage and ask Stella out...My take on New Year's with a Fiesta twist! Fiesta Flack/Stella Updated! Chapter 2 up!
1. It's Been A Long Day

**STARTING ANEW**

**By mandy9578**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Flack and Stella. If I did, they would have gotten together on the show already. They belong to Anthony Zuiker, Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS.**

**Author's Note: I haven't written a fic in months, so I may be a little rusty. Real life had gotten in the way. Plus, my muse seemed to have abandoned me and I had to rescue her, by hook or by crook. Hahaha! Anyway, this is dedicated to my girls over at the Fiesta thread at TalkCSI. You guys rock! To the readers, have a happy and safe New Year. May the New Year be better than the last. Okay, okay, on with the show, I mean, story…**

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**Chapter One**

Don Flack, Jr. just wanted to finish his report and get the hell out of the precinct. It was New Year's Eve for crying out loud. It had been a long day and an even longer week. Ever since Christmas, he could feel time drag by ever so slowly. He had been to his parents' house for a traditional Christmas gathering with lots of relatives popping in and out. Every year since he reached his mid-twenties, he'd hear the same thing. He would be ribbed by his female relatives, wondering how a handsome man like him, their words and not his, is still not married to a lovely woman. He would usually shrug them off with a laugh.

But this year was different. So much had happened this year that he couldn't even dismiss his mother's words to him at Christmas. They were still reverberating in his ears, "Donnie, when are you going to bring home a nice lady for me and your Pa to meet? Every year, you come home for Christmas alone. You better find yourself a wife soon. You're not getting any younger! _I'M_ not getting any younger! I want grandchildren from you!" To which he had answered, "Believe me Ma, you and Pop will be the first to know as soon as I find the woman of my dreams!" But to himself he had thought, "I've already found her. She just doesn't know it yet."

For the past five years, he had spent New Year's Eve with Mac and the rest of the team, Stella included. However, this year, was again, different. Danny went off with Lindsay to Montana for Christmas and they won't be returning to New York until after the New Year. As for Mac, he had flown to London the day after Christmas to try and work things out with Peyton. Hawkes wanted to get away from the cold and decided to spend the New Year down in the Bahamas. Adam begged off this year, saying he had plans with Kendall. That just leaves him and Stella. Stella hadn't called him about her plans for later so that leaves him with nothing. He could probably spend it at his apartment with a bottle of good Australian Shiraz and some pasta, in front of the TV and wait for the ball to drop in Times Square…Or he could take up his sister Allegra's invitation and go over to her apartment for a little celebration along with her dancer friends…Or he could pick up his phone and call Stella and make plans with her for tonight. What would it be?

After agonizing for more than five minutes, pretending to write his report, he finally worked up the courage, picked up his cell and dialed Stella's number. It was ringing. Wait, what do I tell her? Still ringing… Crap! _Just tell her the truth_, his conscience told him. Still ringing… What if she rejects me? What if she already has plans? Still ringing… _We wouldn't know until you ask, would we? So stop being an idiot for a moment! _

"Bonasera," Stella finally answered her cell.

"Hi Stel, it's Flack,"…

**A/N 2: I know, I know, I'm evil for leaving you hanging. Anyway,****please tell me what you think. Review and constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated. **:)


	2. Too Much Time

**Disclaimer: Please see Chapter One.**

**Author's Note: I know it's almost the end of February (heck, V-Day has come and gone. Soon Easter will descend upon us.) and this is supposed to be a New Year's fic but real life had gotten in the way once again. Grrr…Anyway, thank you for your reviews. I really appreciate them. Also, thank you for your patience since it has taken me soooo freakin' long to update. The muse has been fickle lately and real life is not helping. I'm not actually all that happy as to how this chapter wrote itself out so please bear with me. Anyway, on with the fic…**

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**Chapter Two**

Stella Bonasera had too much time on her hands. So much so that she was once again enjoying another cup of coffee in the Lab's break room. So far, it had been a surprisingly slow day considering it was the last day of the year. They had processed a crime scene in midtown during the early morning hours. It turned out to be a suicide since the male vic had left a note saying that he was fed up with the world. This was supported by the fact that there were no signs of foul play and his family has confirmed that he had been suffering from severe bouts of depression on and off for years. Since then Dispatch has made no calls to the lab concerning any DB. She really thought it was odd but she wasn't going to complain about it.

Relaxing back on a chair, she could hear the whirring and the steady humming of the machines processing evidence from down the hall. Mac had left her in charge while he was in dreary old London trying to salvage his relationship with Peyton. Now that certainly had changed her plans for tonight.

She usually greeted the New Year with a celebration with Mac and the rest of the team. However, this year will…well, she didn't know what tonight will bring. Funny how suddenly almost every member of the team had plans which involved doing their own thing for the New Year. So far, it looks like it's just going to be her and her date for the evening, her television set. No Mac. No Danny. No Lindsay. No Hawkes. No Adam. But there is Flack. Flack. Steady, reliable Flack.

Lately, Flack has been on her mind at the most odd moments. He wasn't the detective assigned to that midtown suicide case so she hasn't seen him the whole day. I wonder what his plans are. _Hey, Stel don't even go there.__You know he's involved with that girl._ What's her name? She can't seem to remember. Was it Denise or Davina? She knows it begins with the letter D. Oh yeah, Devon, just like the English county. That was her name. I can't believe Flack's actually dating someone like _that_. Okay, where did that come from? If she was really honest with herself, it probably sounded bitter. Was she actually jealous that Flack was dating some rich bimbo? She couldn't understand what she was feeling, maybe it's for the best that she should try and stop thinking of Flack. Maybe I should add that to my list of New Year's resolutions. _I think not_._You know you won't be able to keep __**that**__ one_. So why bother? Just try and keep your mind off of Flack.

Soon enough her thoughts drifted off to what had happened to her in the past year and a half; Trying to get things in perspective. Recovering from Frankie's attack was such a slow and gradual process. She knows she hasn't completely healed from that encounter…The life-defining HIV scare…The Irish Mob seizing the lab with just her, Mac and Hawkes fighting back for control…Brushes with death one after the other…Drew Bedford getting to her to get to Mac. What the heck was wrong with her? It seems she attracts the wrong type of men. Talk about being such a magnet for creepy bastards. Thank God Flack was around to help her through all of those moments. Okay, here she goes again, thinking of the blue-eyed Detective once more. _Stella, get a grip!_

She should really get out more but tonight just isn't the night for that. I think I'll just usher in the New Year by enjoying that bottle of Chardonnay I've got in the chiller and see whatever I could get my hands on at Zabar's. Heck, it's gonna be the first time in years that she'll be spending New Year's Eve on the couch, in front of the TV, alone. To some, being alone on New Year's Eve might seem pathetic but at least it won't bring any more complications to her life. She's had too much of those to last her a lifetime.

She was about to take another sip of her coffee when she was startled out of her reverie with the ringing of her cell phone. She let it ring once more and looked at the screen, seeing that it was Flack calling. Speak of the devil himself. _Shit_. Probably another DB. Ah, there goes my quiet night at home. Damn.

"Bonasera," she answered keeping her voice professional.

**TBC**

**A/N 2: Please push that purple button and leave me a review. I would love to hear what you think of this one.**


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